Cr Stephen Jolly

Elected for a second four-year term at the November 2008 Council Elections and re-elected again in October 2012, Cr Jolly represents Langridge Ward, which includes Abbotsford, Alphington, Fairfield and parts of Clifton Hill, Fitzroy, Richmond and Collingwood.

His journey to Yarra Council started in London - where he was born with Irish heritage - and took in human rights campaigns in Zimbabwe and China before he settled in Clifton Hill and stood for election to Council.

A father of two, Cr Jolly’s goal is a local community “where families and those on low incomes can afford to live and more easily access services, like child care.”

“I want a development plan for Yarra that matches every increase in the number of new homes with an increase in social services,” Cr Jolly said.

“This way we will create living communities not soulless matchboxes, like the Docklands.”

Cr Jolly said he was committed to keeping Council’s rates low, and to seeing Council bring back its twice-yearly hard rubbish collection, which had been replaced with an “at-call” service. Cr Jolly also believes it is time to consider returning core services like street cleaning to Council control.

He is also calling for a local indoor sporting centre, and for more support for residents who live in public housing.

“I want to see Council direct its youth workers onto the public housing estates, and properly fund residents’ associations,” Cr Jolly said.

“Healthy, safe public housing estates are good for all Yarra residents.”